Deccan Chargers start as favorites | Live Match
Hyderabad, India - April 22, 2008
What a sight it to be when Mc Grath bowls to Gilly ans Symonds, Shoaib Malik tries to prevent Afridi from hitting a six and RP tries to stop Sehwag slashing the ball over point..
Sehwag has always been an aggressive person and like while he is batting, doesn’t fear from taking bold decisions when in charge.. Very very special Laxman showed all of us, what a cool head he can be in pressure scenarios.. He led his side beautifully in the match versus Kolkata.. Its going to be an interesting battle between the skippers.. Let’s wait and see who goes one up..
Chargers’ batting line up looks stronger with Gilly, Laxman, Rohit Sharma and Symo in the ranks while most of Daredevils batters have made that big yet.. Still they have the likes of Gambhir, Dhawan, Malik and Karthik but the trump is the Admiral of the navy, Virender Sehwag who could easily out do a Mc Cullum or a Hussey on his day..
The Delhi bowling department having Mc Grath, Vettori, Maharoof and Malik looks stronger than Hyderabad who have Vaas, RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha..
These probably are the two best fielding teams in the competition with Delhi being a notch higher with greater all round fielding strength.. Chargers have Symo, Rohit, Styris, Afridi and Rao to match for the Daredevils Malik, Tiwary, Dhawan and Gambhir..
Chargers start as favorites on the back of their batting and the quality all rounders they have but a swash buckling innings from Sehwag or an outstanding spell first up from Mc Grath could make it Daredevils’ day..
Pakistan’s flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi said he would be aiming to better Brendon McCullum’s awe-inspiring 73-ball 158 knock when he makes his debut for Hyderabad Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday.
He said that McCullum’s knock was fresh in his mind. McCullum scored 100 from 53 balls during his blazing innings for Kolkata Knight Riders against Bangalore Royal Challengers in the opening match of the IPL on Friday.
Afridi, who has since 1997 held on to the record for the fastest one-day hundred from just 37 balls, said he was itching to emulate or surpass McCullum’s innings.
“It is a very difficult target to achieve to better his 158 at a faster rate. But it is not impossible. Certainly if I get a chance to bat higher up the order and get enough overs to play I will give it a try,” Afridi told reporters after the Twenty20 international against Bangladesh at the national stadium on Sunday.
“I have a reputation of being an exciting batsman and a fast scorer and big hitter. I wouldn’t like to disappoint my fans in the IPL which is twenty20 cricket and to my liking,” Afridi said.
The 28-year-old said McCullum had played a once in a lifetime innings and it would be hard to beat. “But this is what makes cricket exciting for me when you have ambitions of chasing down such targets.”
Afridi record for the fastest century in twenty20 cricket. “If I get a chance to open the innings or bat higher I will certainly give it a try. I am very proud of my record for the fastest one-day hundred.”
“The IPL is an exciting concept and I am very keen of leaving my mark in the tournament with bat and ball for my team,” Afridi stated.
Match will start at
8:00 PM,
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. This time Deccan will have good pitch not like Eden gardens.
Kalyan Mitra the curator of the Eden Gardens went to the Kolkata Knight Riders dressing room and apologised to the players for the poor quality of the pitch. It is to be mentioned here that during the match between Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders the pitch caused huge problems due to uneven bounce and dusty top.
“The curator came to our dressing room after the match and apologised to all of us. He has promised a better wicket for our next match as also the five other games the team will play at the Eden later in the tournament,” Australian captain Ricky Ponting, a member of the Knight Riders, disclosed in Kolkata.
Click here to watch live match
Source - New Desk -
Top ^
